What is “Cloud Native”? And How Does it Apply to Integration?

An Enterprise Integration Practice Perspective

The terms “Cloud” and “Cloud Native” have become two pivotal terms in the software industry implying significant change and a flurry of new techniques aimed at providing ever increasing efficiency, and efficacy for modern compute platforms. These terms; however, are not often well defined and it is often unclear what the implications of the use of a new “cloud” or “cloud native” model might imply for applications and architecture delivered to this platform.

More specifically, as enterprises attempt to solve common problems solved by integration technologies and middleware at large, what if any difference is implied by this technique is often left up to implementers who may or may not be leveraging this new found compute platform for its efficiency, stability, and reliability gains.

The purpose of this document is to come to a common understanding of what these terms mean and what this might all means for traditional enterprise software and their integration tiers.

In the end, we’ll find that to meet our integration needs in our brave new cloud world, we need a new architectural view Cloud Native Integration

Defining Terms

Here we define the “Cloud” What is the Cloud?

Here we define the term “Cloud Native” What is Cloud Native?

Is MicroService Architecture Cloud Native?

Great question. In short, almost. Here we discuss why: Is MicroService Architecture Cloud Native?

Cloud Native Integration

As we define the cloud and cloud native , it becomes clear that integration between these myriad components requires integration. In fact, as workloads appear in different clouds, clusters, and transition between legacy approaches to cloud native approaches, integration becomes a front and center feature of our enterprise architecture.

Here we explain why a container platform is the Cloud Native run time of choice for Cloud Native Integration: Integration and the Container Platform

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Here we define Cloud Native Integration and why it is an important evolutionary leap for our modern enterprise architecture(s): What is Cloud Native Integration?